Thierry Henry has quit his £4million-a-year role as a Sky Sports pundit to pursue his dream of becoming a manager.

The Arsenal legend made the shock decision after helping Roberto Martinez’s Belgium to a third-place finish at the World Cup by beating England on Saturday.

Henry’s experience in Russia this ­summer has increased his appetite for a managerial career of his own.

The 40-year-old, now braced for a string of offers, said: “Over the last four years I have had some ­extremely rewarding coaching ­experiences in football.

“These experiences have only made me more determined to fulfil my long-term ambition to become a football manager.

Henry has been part of Belgium's coaching team (Image: AFP)

Henry on Monday Night Football (Image: Internet Unknown)

“It is with sadness, therefore, that I have decided that I must leave Sky Sports to enable me to spend more time on the pitch and ­concentrate on my journey to achieving that goal.”

Henry’s decision will see him follow former BT Sport pair Steven Gerrard and Frank Lampard from the ­studio to the dugout. Gerrard is now Rangers boss while Lampard is in charge at Derby.

Henry is Arsenal’s all-time leading scorer with 228 goals, achieved in two spells – 1999-2007 and on loan in 2012 from New York Red Bulls.

Henry in the Sky studio (Image: Sky Sports)

He lifted two Premier League titles with the Gunners and two FA Cups.

The Frenchman also clinched two La Liga titles and the Champions League with Barcelona, along with the 1998 World Cup and 2000 ­European Championship.

His decision to leave Sky now comes in stark contrast to his ­reluctance to make the break ­towards the end of Arsene Wenger’s reign. Wenger offered him a role with his backroom staff on condition Henry switched off his TV work.

But that job is understood to have been with Arsenal’s kids while he is now keen for a hotseat of his own.